[sdiy] PE Minisonic synthesizer scans

Tue Jun 1 14:19:11 CEST 2010

Aha! Thanks for this John - I didn't look closely enough.

Cheers,

Steven Cook.
http://www.spcplugins.com/

--------------------------------------------------
From: "John Alex Hvidlykke" <john at hvidlykke.dk>
Sent: Tuesday, June 01, 2010 10:55 AM
To: "synth-diy" <synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl>
Subject: Re: [sdiy] PE Minisonic synthesizer scans

> The page is down, but not gone.
>
> Archive.org is the helper. The Internet Archive contained several almost 
> identical snapshots of the page, the latest from 2008.
>
> http://web.archive.org/web/20080310193553/http://www.shaws-corner.co.uk/
>
> Under "New vs. Old Hat" you will find the story of the Minisonic.
>
> Also you find his mail address, if you look closely (I recommend exaiming 
> the "Book Reviews" page for that purpose).
>
> Cheers
>
> \John
>
>
>
>> -----Oprindelig meddelelse-----
>> Fra: synth-diy-bounces at dropmix.xs4all.nl
>> [mailto:synth-diy-bounces at dropmix.xs4all.nl]På vegne af cheater cheater
>> Sendt: 1. juni 2010 11:38
>> Til: Steven Cook
>> Cc: synth-diy
>> Emne: Re: [sdiy] PE Minisonic synthesizer scans
>>
>>
>> > I'm not sure that I'd want to 'hack' his email address as
>> > its' non-appearance on his page (when it was up) suggests that he 
>> > didn't
>> > want to be contacted.
>>
>> Well, public information is public information. Sometimes people don't
>> put email addresses on websites because they don't want spam.
>>
>> > His website address is on the page about the Minisonic2 you've
>> linked to;-)
>> > Unfortunately, it appears to be down which is worrying.
>>
>> ah ok, found it :-)
>>
>> It's too bad that the registrar only lists a name (Doug Shaw, wonder
>> where the 'G' came from) and no other details. The domain is still up
>> and it was last renewed in November 2009, but the web server is down.
>> I wouldn't worry too much about Doug then :-)
>>
>> Too bad we couldn't find any info how to contact him though.
>>
>> Cheers,
>> D.
>>
>> On Tue, Jun 1, 2010 at 11:23, Steven Cook
>> <stevenpaulcook at tiscali.co.uk> wrote:
>> > Hi,
>> >
>> > His website address is on the page about the Minisonic2 you've
>> linked to;-)
>> > Unfortunately, it appears to be down which is worrying. I hope
>> Mr. Shaw is
>> > still with us. I'm not sure that I'd want to 'hack' his email address 
>> > as
>> > its' non-appearance on his page (when it was up) suggests that he 
>> > didn't
>> > want to be contacted. Thanks anyway.
>> >
>> > Regards,
>> >
>> > Steven Cook.
>> > http://www.spcplugins.com/
>> >
>> > --------------------------------------------------
>> > From: "cheater cheater" <cheater00 at gmail.com>
>> > Sent: Tuesday, June 01, 2010 1:19 AM
>> > To: "Steven Cook" <stevenpaulcook at tiscali.co.uk>
>> > Cc: "synth-diy" <synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl>
>> > Subject: Re: [sdiy] PE Minisonic synthesizer scans
>> >
>> >> Hi Steven,
>> >> what is the website? Maybe I can extract some contact information from
>> >> the server records for you..
>> >>
>> >> BTW, I have found a very interesting page about the minisonic:
>> >>
>> http://pcbunn.cithep.caltech.edu/jjb/Synthesizers/Minisonic2/default.htm
>> >>
>> >> Look at those interference patterns!
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> http://pcbunn.cithep.caltech.edu/jjb/Synthesizers/Minisonic2/DougV
>> CF1_3.gif
>> >>
>> >> Original description: "Range 'C'. Sweep 1Khz - 100Khz.  Input signal
>> >> 150mV p-p triangle.  Mid-range resonant frequency.  High 'Q'.  Note
>> >> interference pattern and peaks caused by changing harmonic
>> >> relationships at different points of resonance.  The sound is
>> >> marvellous.  Output 100mV/div"
>> >>
>> >> It's the first time I've seen this sort of effect. Where does it come
>> >> from exactly? Does it happen for all resonant filters? Does the
>> >> oscilloscope need to have any specific characteristics for this to
>> >> show up?
>> >>
>> >> Cheers,
>> >> D.
>> >>
>> >> On Mon, May 31, 2010 at 14:07, Steven Cook
>> <stevenpaulcook at tiscali.co.uk>
>> >> wrote:
>> >>>
>> >>> Hi Tim,
>> >>>
>> >>> Cheers for this - I've not seen these articles in years. I built a PE
>> >>> Minisonic when the magazines were published back in '74/5 which took 
>> >>> a
>> >>> full
>> >>> year's worth of Ł1 a week pocket money. A pattern maker
>> friend of my Dad
>> >>> made a beautiful hardwood case for it with a black plastic
>> covered wooden
>> >>> front panel, which was about 1/2 inch thick so had to be milled out
>> >>> around
>> >>> all the pot holes. I used black knobs with silver tops to get a more
>> >>> 'Moogy'
>> >>> look, white Letraset for all the control legends and
>> 'Letraline' (I think
>> >>> it
>> >>> was called) to divide the panel sections up. It had a mains
>> PSU built on
>> >>> a
>> >>> PCB (dangerous for a 13 year old), everything else was Veroboard. I
>> >>> bought a
>> >>> PCB from some sort of 'Stylophone' organ project from another 
>> >>> magazine
>> >>> and
>> >>> cut off the keyboard bit to use in the Minisonic. When it was
>> finally all
>> >>> working, the VCOs drifted so badly with temperature changes that they
>> >>> would
>> >>> go up half an octave from breathing on the board! I still remember my
>> >>> excitement at hearing a VCF for the first time and spending about two
>> >>> weeks
>> >>> just fiddling with different settings - I've felt a bit bored with
>> >>> filters
>> >>> ever since then...
>> >>>
>> >>> About a year and a half later my 15 year old brain decided
>> that it would
>> >>> be
>> >>> a brilliant idea to dismantle the Minisonic and use the parts
>> for other
>> >>> projects. How could I have been so stupid!? All that's left
>> of it now are
>> >>> a
>> >>> few 741s, an SG3402N, a pair of 35ohm speakers and a noise diode.
>> >>>
>> >>> Sorry, started to ramble a bit there. It's that nostalgia factor.
>> >>>
>> >>> While I'm here, does anyone know if G.D. Shaw (Minisonic designer) is
>> >>> still
>> >>> around? His website was still up the last time I looked but it must 
>> >>> be
>> >>> the
>> >>> only site I've ever seen with no contact email address and I'd like 
>> >>> to
>> >>> send
>> >>> him a message.
>> >>>
>> >>> Steve Cook.
>> >>> http://www.spcplugins.com/
>> >>>
>> >>> --------------------------------------------------
>> >>> From: "Tim Stinchcombe" <tim102 at tstinchcombe.freeserve.co.uk>
>> >>> Sent: Friday, May 28, 2010 7:49 PM
>> >>> To: "'analog heaven'" <analogue at hyperreal.org>;
>> >>> <synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl>
>> >>> Subject: [sdiy] PE Minisonic synthesizer scans
>> >>>
>> >>>> Hi list(s),
>> >>>>
>> >>>> Very recently it was suggested to me that nowhere on the web were
>> >>>> there scans of the Practical Electronics 'Minisonic'
>> synthesizer, from
>> >>>> 1974/5 (as opposed to the 'Minisonic 2' which *are* to be found in
>> >>>> several
>> >>>> places), so if true, I have just rectified this:
>> >>>>
>> >>>> http://www.timstinchcombe.co.uk/synth/pe_mini/pe_mini.html
>> >>>>
>> >>>> Enjoy!
>> >>>>
>> >>>> Tim
>> >>>> __________________________________________________________
>> >>>> Tim Stinchcombe
>> >>>>
>> >>>> Cheltenham, Glos, UK
>> >>>> email: tim102 at tstinchcombe.freeserve.co.uk
>> >>>> www.timstinchcombe.co.uk
>> >>>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>>
>> >>>> _______________________________________________
>> >>>> Synth-diy mailing list
>> >>>> Synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl
>> >>>> http://dropmix.xs4all.nl/mailman/listinfo/synth-diy
>> >>>
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>> >>>
>> >
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